Love is Everything but Simple
by Chloe5678
Summary: It all starts at the yule ball, when a series of tragic events happens there Hermione finds herself being comforted by Draco. Where will this relationship go and what obstacles they will have to face together, all while keeping it a secret. Hermione's POV
1. An Unexpected Begining

I took a deep sigh clearing my mind of the anxiousness followed by a casual peek around the corner of the top of the stair case. Harry stood at the bottom of the grand stairs with Parvati, even from behind his long shaggy black hair unmistakable.

Parvati turned around, I swear she saw me for a mere second. Another deep breath, there was no use hiding. I forced a smile across my face letting the true excitement I had been feeling spill out.

I grabbed the railing and slowly stumbled down the stairs. Now I was sure Paravti had saw me, not just saw me, she was staring. What was she looking at? Was there lipstick on my teeth, _no stupid you're not wearing lipstick_, I told myself. Was the dress too flashy? Ginny would have said something, she wouldn't do that to me. I had safely made it down the stairs. No turning back now.

Another deep breath. I felt my chest shake with the jitters. My hands started to shake as I stood there waiting for him. Finally I saw him make his way through a crowd, a look of surprised came across his face but just before I wanted to feel worried again an even greater smile filled his face.

He quickly marched towards me and bowed. I smiled back not sure what the proper thing to do was for the first time. Victor grabbed my hand and I felt an odd sense of confidence as he walked me through a gabbing crowd. _Is that Hermione? With Victor? _ I heard people whispering my name but for some reason it didn't bother me. I was with him, which made me feel untouchable.

I was smiling so much my face actually started to hurt. This was the first time I had ever felt like this, I felt graceful. Every girl stared at me, like they wished they were me.

We walked into a transformed Great Hall. There were no tables and instead of the bronze walls, everything was covered in a white frost. I looked up at the ceiling to see a snowing black night sky glossing the room with a wonderful glimmer of snow.

I looked over to Victor and he looked at me. I let out a giggle as our eyes met then turned away blushing. What was he thinking? I looked back at him shyly and he whispered to me softly, "You are beautiful."

I actually think he meant it, because for the first time in my life, I _felt_ beautiful.

Victor lifted me up and spun me around. It was breath taking. I felt light as a feather and I glided through the air smiling like an idiot.

Professor Flitwick suddenly appeared through a closed curtain and mumbled an announcement, "Ladies and gentlemen! Your attention please." Nobody was paying attention, "_Your attention please!_" He cried out, and then seemed to gather himself up, "For the first time live, playing here at Hogwarts, please welcome…_The Weird Sisters!_"

Suddenly a mad crowd of teenagers filled up close to the stage as the curtain pulled back to reveal _the_ best punk rock band!

I turned to face Victor and we both screamed like 7 year olds! He started dancing around and I just laughed not being very coordinated. Victor showed off and when we had enough we pushed our way through the crowd to a table where Harry and Ron sat depressed looking.

Victor kissed my hand, dashed away and I sat down beside Harry, a huge smile on my face. "Victor just went to get us some drinks." I said turning to Harry, "Would you care to join us?" I suddenly felt bad having had so much fun knowing they had just sat there the whole time lonely.

"We're not joining you and _Victor_!" Ron said drastically. I pulled back, the smile disappearing, "What's got your wand in a knot?"

Ron rolled his eyes like I was missing something so obvious, "Hermione he's a Durmstrang! You're fraternizing with the enemy!" I was appalled, what the bloody hell was he thinking?

"_The enemy!"_ I blurted out in surprise, "Who was it wanting his autograph? Besides the whole point of the tournament is international, magical, cooperation! To make _friends_!" The spark inside of me had disappeared, I no longer felt like the graceful girl with Victor, once again I was just the brainiac once again.

Ron grunted, "I think he's got a bit more than friendship on his mind?" What was he thinking, just because he was miserable didn't mean he got to take it out on me. I rose up out of my chair, going over what to say in my head, the best come back, glancing at the silent Harry every few seconds.

I started to walk away then turned around wanting to say what Ron deserved but just found myself marching towards the stairs filled with so much frustration I was about to explode. I heard stomping feet come up behind me.

"He's using you!" Ron argued.

"How dare you!" I replied in offence, "I can take care of myself!"

"He's _way_ too old!" Ron said casually, "It's not like he actually likes you."

"_What?_" I exclaimed in fury, "That's what you think?"

"Yah that's what I think." He admitted

"Well here's a solution then!" I now spoke my mind without a care, "Next time there's a ball, pluck up the courage to ask me before somebody else _instead of using me as a last resort!"_ I spoke so quickly I didn't even think _I_ heard myself. I am not a last resort I told myself over and over, I am not a last resort. He had no right to do this to me. I was having the time of my life and he just ruined it.

"That's completely off the point." Ron mumbled. "Harry!" I turned round to face Harry.

"Where have you been? Never mind, off to bed, both of you!" I ordered like a smart ass. But this time I had the right to be, Harry had been no better than Ron, we were friends and he didn't stick up for me which was just as bad.

Ron spoke again "They get scary when they're old-."

Without letting him finish I blurted out, "_Ron you spoiled everything! I hope you're happy._" I lisped the last part under my breath, too tired of arguing.

I swerved to see them run up the stairs both frightened of me. I ran towards the stairs making it up a few steps before falling to my knees. I burst into tears letting all the frustration pour out. I took off my shoes which had been killing me and lifted my head to just see Victor in the back of a crowd looking at me.

He would come save me and make everything better, make me feel beautiful again. But he didn't he sprinted through the crowd pretending to never have seen me. I guess I never really was beautiful to him. It was just the makeup and dress.

I sat there, my face scrunched up, I could barely breathe, and my chest heaved. I half crawled up the staircase feeling so weak. I caught my breath then I ran down the hall, taking random turns here and there, not caring where I ended up. I made a sharp left and smacked off of something falling to the ground.

I lifted my head to see polished black shoes. The last thing I wanted to see was a person. I glanced up trying to hide my face as well as I could, embarrassed of my red blotchy stained face. I looked up to see blonde hair covering his forehead and part of his thin almond eyes. Out of all 3 schools, it had to be Draco.

I gathered myself and stood right up taking a deep breath readying for his laughter. Although to my surprise he didn't look amused, more astonished than anything. "_What?"_ I yelled. He just stood there, "Just get it over with."

Draco mumbled, "Are you okay?" What was wrong with all the boys today? Why wasn't Draco tearing me apart, this would be the easiest time to do it. I had no defence.

"Pardon?" I said.

"_I said_, are you okay?" He repeated annoyingly.

I paused in bewilderment then stuttered, "Why aren't you insulting me, you hate me?"

He blinked in confusion like I was the one missing something, "Come on Hermione, you and your little friends might not be my favorite of people but I'm not evil. You obviously aren't in a good state of mind so what good is it for me to make you feel worse?"

I was still in a muddle. "So," I started picked words out carefully, using a soft voice, "You have picked on me for the past 3 years, called me the crudest of names but you don't hate me?"

Draco bit his lip thinking over his response like it didn't fully make sense to him either. He took a deep breath, "Well, you wouldn't understand." He said offensively.

"Try me?" I added in a smart tone.

"Okay." he sighed, "But not here."

"What?" I questioned, "Then where?"

Draco looked in all directions, then straight at me and smiled. I felt a tug at my hand and before I knew it I was speeding down the hall. We made a right and he looked back to check on me with an excited face. Where was he taking us?

After a while I started to go over the events of the evening, curious how it had come to this. Draco, Harry's nemesis, taking me to some secret place in Hogwarts? I never would have thought I would find myself in this odd situation in my lifetime.

We came to a spiral of descending stairs and he carefully led me down them. When we came to the bottom I recalled the room in front of me not from being their but from Hogwarts a History.

"This is the underground boat house?" I questioned. Draco looked at me and nodded in reply. I continued the conversation which seemed to have happened so long ago, "So you were saying."

"Well you see." Draco pressed his back to a wall then slid down to sit on the ground, "First impressions are how you see people for the rest of the time you know them, don't you agree?" I thought about it for a few seconds, the topic had never come to mind, but eventually I nodded my head in agreement.

"But!" I added before he continued, "That's not always the case."

"Well you are judging me right now based on how we first got to know each other."

I paused, "But I'm not judging you based on our first meeting, I am judging you based on how you have treated me for the past few years." I smiled proud of my come back.

"Wrong." He replied with a smirk, "You judged me over the past few years based on how I treated you the first time I met you. You didn't treat me any better than I treated you the first time we met and that is why I kept treating you that way." He spoke as fast as I did, like this was some sort of debate, "You hated me because of our first meeting, then I felt the need to dislike you back because what is the point of liking someone who hates you in return?"

I was stunned, confused and impressed all at once, "So then get to your point."

Draco played with the buttons on the end of his sleeve, "Well, when I said first impressions are important to your identity, what I meant was, when I first met you and your friends I made a big mistake by not watching my mouth. And well that's how everyone saw me. The smart mouth Slytherin." He lifted his head and our eyes met. He pulled his focus away and his pale cheeks flustered.

"You wouldn't understand, but, when your friends expect so much from you, you feel the need to live up to it. Just to be accepted. So for that, I'm sorry about the past. I hope this can somehow make it up." He looked up at me again.

There was a long silence, "So now what?" He asked, "Now that I've confessed my big secret are you going to tell me what's wrong?" My story didn't seem quite as difficult to admit to now that Draco had confessed to such a sensitive subject. I turned my bare back to the wall and pressed it against the cold stone sliding down to sit beside him.

"Well I went to the party with Victor." I started, "We were having lots of fun until I went to go see how Harry and Ron were doing while Victor got drinks. Ron started telling me off, saying I was going against Harry, fraternizing with the enemy. That Victor didn't really like me, he just wanted to get to Harry." I swallowed my words and felt lump in my throat, "It's just so frustrating that he was mad that I got a date and he didn't. I told him next time there's a ball to ask me instead of using me as a last resort. Being a last resort, it just makes you feel worthless, like you're not as good as all the other girls. It seems like what girls go through is much more complicated than boys. I mean we have to alter ourselves to feel good about our body but if you're too altered you're fake. We flirt to make ourselves feel wanted but if you get more attention than anyone else you crave the attention. If you're smart then you're a know it all, but if you act stupid you have no self respect."

I looked over at Draco, his jaw hung open on its hinges. "Why am I telling you this again?" I asked embarrassingly.

"Because," He slowly replied with a smile, "I guess I am the only one who gives a damn." I smiled back.

I leaned my head on his boney shoulder in exhaustion. "Do you think this means anything?" I craned my neck to match his expressions to the words he had said. "You know, are we just going to forget this, go back to our common rooms and start hating each other again, because I don't want to do that." He looked down to meet my eyes.

I looked into his pale blue eyes and answered, "I haven't the slightest idea but I don't want to forget either."


	2. A Simple Thing She Overlooked

I walked bouncily down the hall, the heavy texts books in my shoulder bag weighing my excitement down a bit. I had just grabbed my Defence against the Dark Arts homework from the common room after dinner, now I was off to the boat house.

I had met with Draco 3 times a week for the past 4 weeks in the boat house since the Ball. We had been doing homework in the later evenings, getting to know each other a little better, better than anyone else knew each other.

Harry and Ron hadn't ever gotten to know me on a personal level the way I knew them. Sometimes I felt like their friendship was a little more special than the 3 of ours, but that was okay. Now I had someone and he had me.

I placed my left hand on the cold stone wall for support and headed down the long spiralling stairs to the underground. I felt the cracks in the wall and indents in between the stones under my fingers.

I hadn't really seen Ron or Harry for the past weeks. I'd occasionally check on Harry to see if he had found out how to breathe underwater for an hour, concerned for his life, but other than that, I hadn't even eaten with him at meals. Ron I hadn't seen each other since our argument so it wasn't all that difficult staying out of conflict between them and Draco, which was one of my worst fears right now.

I jumped off the 2nd last step, a tiny echo of the impact surrounding the room. Draco sat in his usual spot, back pressed against the wall. He wore his silver and green stripped scarf and black cloak with a matching crest. He looked up at me and smiled, "Hey."

"Hey," I replied in a sweet tone, "Have you been here long?" I wondered out loud. He was writing in his notebook on top of his hardcover Transfiguration text book, 2 other text books lay open in front of him.

"Nah, I came early anyways, I've got a lot to catch up on." He spoke with no concern. I slid down the wall to sit beside him like always and pulled my bag off my shoulder. I reached in and grabbed the Defence against the Dark Arts text book and set it aside.

"Whatcha working on?" I said playfully.

"Oh, just Arithmancy and Astronomy." He replied. I scooted closer to him to take a look. We worked on Arithmancy together then when we got to Astronomy Draco knew what he was doing.

"The only thing I have is Moody's homework." I sighed, "Do you like him as a Dark Arts teacher?" I looked over to Draco.

"Well sometimes he can get a bit freaky, no wonder everyone says he's mad." Draco said jokingly, "But he must know what he is talking about being an Auror." I nodded in agreement.

"Hey, you know what I've been dyeing to try since last year?" I sprung up from the ground, "Last year in the Forbidden Forrest, Harry produced a patronus! Since then I've just wanted to try and see if I could do it?" I knew I was supposed to be studying and finishing Moody's stupid report but I had lots of time for that.

"Sounds like fun," Draco said in an awkward voice getting up, "You first then, let's see." I took a deep breath, lowered my shoulders and lifted my neck in confidence. I took my wand out of my jean pocket and raised it up, slightly above my head, following the tip with my eyes.

I thought of the moment I put of the sorting hat, when it shouted Gryffindor! I was so happy to know that I wasn't just brains, that there must be a bit of bravery in me. "Expecto Patrollum!" I shouted demandingly. A wisp of a pure white smoky fluid evaporated in front of me, floating higher into the air. I gripped my wand tighter and a defined animal glided toward me, like it was swimming through the air and surrounding mist. It was an otter.

"You did it!" Draco exclaimed in amaze. I lowered my wand and ran up to him. We embraced each other in a warm cozy hug. He swung me around a couple of times then I lowered my foot to steady myself and pulled back my arms still wrapped around his neck.

I stepped down from my tippy toes and pulled my arms down to my side smiling, "Now you!"

He bit his lip, sighed and walked over to the exact spot I had been. He raised his wand to his eye level and commanded, "Expecto Patrollum!"

The same silvery white mist spilled from the tip of his wand, more and more. It made a thick cloudy haze far in front of him and slowly formed into a creature I had once seen before. It pranced around him then ran towards the ceiling and gently exploded in mid-air.

My eyes widened as I looked towards him. I noticed my jaw hanging open and I snapped it shut, "Oh my god." I said stunned.

Draco reached his hand to the back of his neck and rubbed it eagerly as if it helped distract him from the conversation. "Kind of girly, I know." He said embarrassed.

"Draco, your patronus is a Unicorn!" I exclaimed, "Didn't you know patronuses are especially powerful when in the form of a magical creature! Draco this isn't girly it's special!"

"No, Hermione, it's not special it's embarrassing!" He argued loudly, "It may be a magical creature but it doesn't show bravery or strength or anything manly, it means that I'm like a unicorn!"

"Oh!" I sighed in relief, "You think a Patronus represents you! A patronus isn't a reflection of the person casting it Draco, it's a reflection of who the caster sees as their protector. So you see someone with characteristics of a Unicorn and that someone you are thinking of makes you feel safe."

"Oh," He bit his lip and lightly blushed, "Then why was yours the otter? What's so protective about someone like that?"

"Well, I'm not quite sure," I admitted shyly, "But I think I might have a clue."

"When I got my letter my parents were ecstatic, don't get me wrong! But after knowing I was a witch I did feel somewhat secluded from everyone. My parents didn't really act proud, more like I was a special needs child or something." I watched my words not wanting to misinterpret my parent's support, "After I met Ron and got to know his family over these past years, they've just felt like my 2nd family. They're always full of joy and life, they comfort me and somewhat reassured me that I wasn't different in a bad way."

I didn't like bringing up Ron and Harry with Draco, worried that he might get worked up about it but it didn't seem to bother him as much as I thought. "Well I feel the Weasley family is like my own family and that would do anything to protect me like their own. An otter is part of the weasel family, so if you put 2 and 2 together, weasel and Weasley. But I'm just guessing."

I smiled as the memories came back of staying at their humble little home. I thought about Ron and Harry. I was forgetting something, something important.

"Draco what day is it?" I looked up at him worried.

"It's the 24th is it not?" He replied in confusion.

"Oh my god!" My voice faded as I came to a realisation.

"I have to go!" I said wide eyed, Draco looking confused, "I'm sorry." I said sympathetically and packed up my single text book and slung the bag over my shoulder and ran up the stairs. I had to find Harry.

I had never blown them off! What was I supposed to tell them I had been doing? I couldn't tell them I had been with Draco, I'd just say I was finishing my report in the common room, that's it! Hopefully they wouldn't be too suspicious to ask anyone if I was there. Or if they could copy my report.

I dashed down the halls, faster than I had ever run before not needing to think of where to turn, I knew this route from anywhere, to the Library. I was supposed to have met Harry and Ron there almost an hour ago!

I turned to face the door and lightly opened it, hoping my heaving breathes weren't as loud to everyone else as they were to me. I crossed aisle after aisle finally coming to the Herbology section. I looked through for useful books. Out of all books I have read, _none_ of them have suggested how to hold your breath underwater for _an hour!_

I turned around and saw Harry sitting at a desk with books piled up beside him, "Did you find anything?" I walked over to him nervously. He shook his head, his nose for the first time almost touching the pages of the book he was reading. He kept repeating the same words under his breath over and over, some tricky riddle.

I looked through books on the shelf behind him, "It's obviously in the black lake, we knew that." I said to myself and Harry reviewing what I knew, pretending that I had been there the whole time. Harry had told me weeks ago that he had figured out the egg, all we needed to figure out was how he could manage breathing underwater for an hour! But that was so long ago and he still hadn't found a way.

"This is going to be an even bigger problem than I thought." I said a little too loud, Harry thought I was talking to him and turned to look at me with his mouth open and eyes narrowed.

"_A big problem?"_ He said offensively, "Hermione when is the last time you held your breath under water for an hour? The challenge is tomorrow, if we don't figure it out I could die!" He stuck his nose back in the book, I doubt expecting he would actually find anything. He had given up.

"Look Harry! We can do this!" I shouted for the first time in the Library, looking over to Ron who was in an aisle over scanning for useful books, "The 3 of us, together. Look I kn-"I was interrupted by a familiar voice which disgusted me.

"Hate to break up this studying session but Professor McGonagall would like to see you." Moody smiled and we all walked forward glumly to go with the Professor, "Not you Harry, just Weasley and Granger." He ordered. I looked back at a vulnerable looking Harry as we walked away, leaving him helpless in the hands of absolutely no one.

The walk was silent and short considering McGonagall's office wasn't all that far from the Library. Moody pushed the large dark wooden door open and followed us in. When we stepped into the room we saw McGonagall sitting at her desk pleasantly smiling at us. A crash of what sounded like china or something delicate shattering came from far behind her in another room. We slowly walked over to her desk a little suspicious, and took a seat.

"Here have some tea." McGonagall suggested and a tin tea kettle poured the hot drink into 2 tiny matching teacups. I looked up at McGonagall expecting her to speak but she just sat there waiting for the cream and sugar to finish. I picked up the little cup and took a short silent sip while Ron was still waiting for his sugar.

"I'm sorry you 2." She sighed. She continued to speak but the words all blurred together. I looked to my left dreamily to see Ron finish gulping his tea down and then my eyelids shut and I hung my head.


	3. A Time She Just Smiled With Him

Cool air replaced the water in my lungs. Cool, moist, wonderful, sweet air! What had just happened? The last thing I remember was being called down to McGonagall's office? I feel a scaly touch on my back and sharply turn to see myself face to face with a shark!

I let out a yelp and then noticed the shark seemed quite odd, like it was fighting to swim? I watched in terror as the monstrous creature slowly evolved into a sadly familiar face. It was Victor.

My face quickly flipped from terror to disgust and he took notice. I turned to swim over to the middle of the 3 tall docks filled with spectators, keeping my face hidden from Victor, not wanting to look at him.

When I crawled up onto the dock, Victor fell on top of my legs holding me down. Then he awkwardly wrapped his arms around me in a failing attempt to keep me warm. I narrowed my eyebrows, crunched up my nose and looked him not quite directly in the eyes. Giving him the idea I didn't want his comfort or sympathy unlike all the other girls.

He loosened his grip enough I could pull myself up off the ground. I turned around in search of Dumbledore who was conveniently standing right at the front of the dock nearly meters away from me.

I dragged myself over to him, rubbing my hands over my freezing arms even though it didn't help much. "Excuse me?" Dumbledore looked my way, looking somewhat worried compared to usual, "I'm sorry Professor but what is going on, is this the 2nd task?"

"Why yes it is Miss Granger," He spoke calmly, "Impressive how quickly you caught on."

"Thank you." I said even though what I figured seemed quite obvious, "I, um. I was just curious as to who all has come out of the water." I quivered like a nervous wreck even though Dumbledore wasn't the problem with my speech.

"Cedric came up quite a few minutes before Victor. Fleur came back up before either but without her hostage because she could not seem to get past _zee grindyloes._" He said the last part with a descent French accent. "But no Hermione, Harry has not yet surfaced and not to worry you but I am very frightened myself." Dumbledore said looking up into the air instead of at the water.

I followed where Dumbledore's eyes were fixed up in the air at a gigantic clock. The hands ticked away, Harry didn't have much time left, nearly 40 seconds before there hour time limit was over. I felt the teeth chatter from not the chills this time but fear.

I looked back up at the clock, 30 seconds.

I started breathing heavier.

20 seconds.

My chest heaved.

15 seconds.

I couldn't breathe!

10 seconds.

What should I do? I can't interfere and even if I wanted to what was I supposed to do? There was absolutely nothing I could do to help.

I stared at the water like the more I concentrated the better chase he would surface. Then I saw something ripple under the water, something orange? It popped up out of the water like a cork. Ron!

Ron carried a little blonde girl on his back as he swam over to the dock. I am guessing the little girl was Fleur's hostage because as soon as he climbed up Fleur started kissing him like mad all over his face. Ron's expression was so hilarious I couldn't help but let out a laugh.

After Ron had had his moment with Fleur he saw me and rushed over with a blanket someone had given him.

"Hermione you must be chilled to the bone, you're almost blue!" He touched his simply cool hand to my ice cold cheek then threw the blanket around me. "Wait, where's Harry?"

I bit my numb lip, "Harry hasn't come up yet! Cedric and Victor have obviously already come up and Fleur didn't complete the task. I'm scared." I looked up at him not knowing his reaction, not knowing if he was still mad at me for his own silly reasons or if he was over it. It had been months but Ron could hold a grudge.

I stared at him, he hugged his goose bump covered arms shivering almost as bad as what I was. "Ron get in the blanket you're just as cold!" I demanded.

He didn't argue. We got ourselves situated in the blanket and then all of a sudden a thin straight figure emerged out of the water, wand pointing high. We dropped the blanket and cheered.

After Dumbledore had announced the champion's places all the students headed back to the castle. I walked along the outline of the trees surrounding the pathways up. I waited in the forest letting everyone pass by. Then I saw Draco walking alone, kicking a stone up the hill that just kept wanting to roll down. He would lose it and then just start kicking another one.

Right after he passed me I made my way out of the forest and back on the pathway. I silently sneaked up behind his then jumped on his back!

"What the?" He shouted confused. I jumped off and he turned around to face me. I smiled proudly like I had accomplished something very important. He peered at me and I wasn't sure what to make of it. We just stared at each other for a few seconds and then both burst out into laughter not being able to be serious in each other's presence.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him into the trees so no one would see us talking. "You know if you wanted a piggy back, all you had to do was ask?" Draco said somewhat sarcastically.

"Well scaring you were more of my goal than getting a piggy back ride," I teased, "but I'll take one of those too!" I jumped back up and he carried me through the brush.

"I'm sorry I ran off on you yesterday, I was supposed to help Harry but I completely forgot!" I apologized, "Maybe if you wanted we could meet up again tomorrow, there's something I want to show you."

"Sure I'd love to." He spoke enthusiastically, "And Hermione you don't have to apologize its fine, it was getting late anyways."

I smiled with relief then hopped off his back, "Well I think I should go find Harry and Ron before they start wondering where I've gone off to this time." I said and then reached over to hug Draco and spun around to race up the hill.

I eventually ran into Ron and Hagrid, Harry walked alone drearily in front of the group soaking wet. We started singing Hoggy-Hoggy Hogwarts and after we got back to the castle I headed right for the girls dormitories and went straight to bed because even though I had been asleep for almost a whole day, I was exhausted.

After a good night's rest and lots of boring classes followed by piles of homework I left the evening meal and made my way down to the boathouse as usual. I finished my Dark Arts paper which wasn't due until next Monday but still. Then I pulled out a book my mother had given to me the summer before I received my letter. _Grimm's Fairy tales._

I heard footsteps and got up off the dusty ground. I tucked the muggle book back in my bag and casually walked over to the staircase to see Draco coming down.

He saw me and smiled. I couldn't help but smile back. Once he finished heading down the stair case I grabbed his arms and pulled him back up them.

"Where are you taking me?" He shouted laughing. We got to the top of the stairs and I ran to hide in the corner with him.

I stared at him wide eyed, a giant grin on my face even though I bit my lip, nervous someone would see us. I pressed my index finger to my lip, "Shh." He lifted the neck of his robe to cover his face from blushing with laughter.

"Follow me." I instructed, "But not too close." I headed out into the hallway and pulled out the muggle book to hide my giggling. No one would be suspicious if I was reading. I saw Draco walking along the edge of the corridor fingers grazing the wall.

I silently teased him by speeding up my pace, just to see if he could catch up, marching through big crowds, testing him to see if he could find me amongst all the students. He passed.

After a while we got to a part of the castle where barely anyone walked. We were close. I looked back and he was still there following me. I came to a small cracked wooden door that didn't quite shut all the way. I looked back again before shutting the door behind me and saw Draco across the hall leaning against the stone wall in an awkward pose pretending to act casual. I giggled and quietly shut the door. I stepped down a couple steps and waited a few seconds until Draco walked in, the door creaking shut behind him.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him down the steep narrow steps. I heard the sound of clanking pots and pans coming from the bottom, running water and chattering squeaky voices.

"Where are we?" Draco laughed just before we reached the bottom of the stairs.

I turned around to face him and walked backwards raising my arms to present, "Hogwarts kitchen!" I spun back around and faced all of the little clothed elves washing the platters and silverware.

"Dobby?" I called, "Dobby where are you?"

"Right here Hermione!" A familiar high pitch voice cried suddenly appearing out of a crowd with Pinky sipping up butterbeer from a straw.

"Draco!" He yelped his eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head and roll around the floor.

The strangely little elf ran up to Draco and wrapped his boney arms around his legs. "Oh how I have missed my dear old friend Draco!" Dobby snuggled his leg then looked up at me, "I used to be his house elf you know." He smiled proudly.

"Lucius may have been very mean to me," Dobby confessed, "But Draco was so nice to me, he was my best friend!" Draco crouched down on the ground to be face to face with the cheerful little elf. Dobby glanced at me and cupped his hand over his ear and started whispering.

"What's he saying?" I questioned a little frustrated that Dobby was keeping something from me.

Dobby pulled away and Draco stood up straight laughing, "He just wants me to tell you that the house elves _like_ working in the kitchen and that they do it on their own free will! They aren't being worked like slaves like when they worked as house elves."

"Oh," I said embarrassed. There I was trying to save a bunch of magical creatures that were perfectly happy. "Well sorry Dobby," I looked over at Pinky now gulping her jug of butterbeer, "and Pinky."

"It's okay Hermione!" Squeaked Pinky like she was on helium, "You were just trying to help!" She was so enthusiastic, always smiling whenever she wasn't drinking from her butterbeer jug.

"Well this has been fun," said Dobby sarcastically, "But we have got some work to catch up on." I chuckled with Draco at how serious cute little Dobby could be.

"Well I hope to see you sometime soon Dobby." Draco spoke smiling as he hugged Dobby once more and we headed back up the stairs.

"Well I'll see you next Thursday okay?" I asked once we got to the top of the stairs.

"Sounds great. I have something I'd like to show you next time. " Draco replied. We entered the empty corridor and went our separate ways back to our common rooms.


	4. A Secret this Room Concealed About Him

"Sorry, I'm late." I apologized, still scurrying down the stair case. I saw Draco sitting cross legged looking up at the sky through his brass telescope sitting beside him a globe of the moon.

"Hey, don't worry. We've got lots of time!" He insisted.

"Ron and Harry asked if I could help them study for Transfiguration." I moaned walking up beside him then looked up at the moon that had already started to come out of the darkening sky. "So what are you working on?"

"Oh, nothing really, just Astronomy obviously, but it can wait." He looked up at me and smiled warmly, "I need a break anyway."

He packed up his equipment into an ink black string up bag and we headed towards the stairs and slowly climbed up them.

"So where are you taking me this time?" I asked curiously, "Hopefully somewhere more exciting than the kitchen." I looked up at him and chuckled. Probably anything was more exciting than the kitchen.

"Oh, I think you'll find it quite interesting." He spoke suspiciously as we reached the top of the stairs.

No one was in the corridors because the evening meal had just started so Draco and I walked together hoping not to run into anybody.

"What are you doing?" He looked down at my feet laughing. I looked down at them too and to my surprise I had been skipping.

I starting laughing at myself embarrassed, "Um, I guess I got a little too excited." I felt my cheeks flush red.

"It's okay we'll skip together." He said reassuringly.

We both started joyfully skipping silently down the hall. After a while Draco sprang in front of me in a goofy skip swinging his arms around like his elbows were sewn to his shirt. I slowed down to a walk laughing so hard that I had to cover my face with my hands to keep quite.

He reminded me of the man from Mary Poppins, the way he just gaily skipped around the corner making me run after him. Once I caught up with him he settled down to a walk and laughed away with me. Not long into our journey I found we had made our way to the changing stair cases.

"Where are we going?" I questioned once again.

"You'll see!" He laughed, "We're almost there."

We had climbed onto the first flight of stairs, then onto a second. After about 4 flights Draco had led us up he turned around to look at me.

"Okay Hermione, when we get onto this next stair case you're going to have to follow my exact lead." He instructed firmly which made me quite fearful of what was about to happen, "It'll be fairly simple but you are going to have to be quick." He spoke sternly in a protective sort of way.

The stair case shifted and we climbed onto the supposedly last set. This specific set right next the wall that was covered with portraits of people who chattered about. I watched as Draco madly got up on the railing and pushed open a portrait revealing a hidden room inside.

He gestured me to climb in and I did so just as the staircase started to move. I looked back to see him skillfully maneuver around the portrait and swing inside closing the secret door behind him with a slam.

"That was insane!" I exclaimed in awe. He just shrugged.

"I found this place the last week of 3rd year." He strolled in gingerly looking around the room taking a deep breath as if he was preparing to give a speech.

We were standing on a balcony that stretched around the circular room with no way of getting down into the center. This may not have been as peculiar if there hadn't been a pendulum swinging in the center of the room. Odd thick pieces of wood curved in to meet where the pendulum was attached to the ceiling.

I walked over to the railing and looked down below to see a sand covered floor.

"Look closer." He softly whispered from behind me. I noticed an odd quiver in his voice.

I peered down and noticed a name had been written in the sand. The pendulum swung in its pattern crossing out the name over and over but it remained there unharmed.

"Draco, why does it say your name?" I asked him in terror but he just looked away rubbing his neck the way he did when he didn't want to talk, "Draco, why is your name written in the sand!"

He looked up at me, "I don't know." His eyes were full of fear and vulnerability, like he was about to cry but did not.

He rushed towards me and grabbed my shoulders, "That's why I brought you here." He looked me straight in the eyes while speaking and even though he was frightening me I returned the focus and concentration, "I know that you're smart enough you can figure this out. And I don't want to ask anything of you but I am just really hoping you can do this one thing for me." His hands started to tremble as he let go of me.

"I will." I reassured him instantly.

A few moments of silence passed by. "How did you find this place?" I asked calmly looking back down again, following the pattern of the pendulum, "You obviously didn't just walk through that portrait at random."

"Well," He started more calmly, "I obviously didn't first find it by walking through the portrait, no. I found it through the ceiling." He looked up at the ceiling that was covered with vines and leaves that spread over the corner thinning out the farther out they got. He walked over to the corner and poked up at wooden trap door in the ceiling.

"I was in another secret passage way I had found a couple of weeks before and fell through." He continued, "After I saw my name I stayed in here for at least a half hour and then the frustration caught up with me and I tried walking through the door. Well wasn't I surprised to find myself almost fall down past all those flights of moving stairs that could have either caught me or squished me like a bug." He took another pause catching his breath, "This is actually where I was on the night of the Yule Ball."

"Do you know what it's called?" I asked hoping he would know even though it was extremely unlikely.

"No." He replied just as I thought.

We both leaned over the rail to look at his name once again. "Well that's where I'm going to start." I looked at him firmly. He was obviously shaken by the secret this room concealed about him. I had to do everything to help him.

He reached over and hugged me tightly his arms shaking a little. His warm breath on my neck as he whispered, "Thank you."

We both slipped out of each other's arms and Draco suggested we go back to our common rooms because people would be leaving the evening meal soon. I agreed and we carefully made our way out of the mysterious room and went our separate ways.

I headed to the portrait of the fat Lady, "Password!" She exclaimed dramatically.

"Inflant Trahunt." I muttered then proceeded in looking behind me to see no sign of anyone.

I ran into the common room then up the stairs into the boy's dormitories. Once I came to Harry's room I lay flat on the floor beside his bed and pull his suitcase from underneath. After zipping it open I rummaged through his clothes until I found it. The marauder's map.

I tapped the old blank page and quickly muttered, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." And watched as Hogwarts slowly appeared upon the parchment along will everyone's name.

I first checked the great hall and saw the names of almost every single student pouring out into the corridors. I had to make this quick.

I skimmed for the changing stair cases which seemed to take forever and finally found it. I squinted to make out the words completely and read to myself, _The Room of Many Fates._


	5. A friendship proves all blood's thick

"You almost done your star chart?" Draco looked up at me from his telescope.

"Yeah, I'm just finishing the constellations between the Ecliptic and Celestial Equator." I replied quickly still focusing on connecting the stars for Canis Minor. Draco had finished his star chart at least 10 minutes ago and was now gazing through his telescope making notes.

"Do you want some help?" He suggested.

"No." I replied instantly.

Astronomy was his favorite subject, the only one he seemed to like, probably because he was really good at it. It irritated me so much that he was better than me at it which made me push myself even harder.

"Done!" I yelled proudly then looked over to see him chuckling at me, "What?"

"Nothing." He bit his lip and continued gazing after making a note.

I let it slide, "What are you staring at now?" I walked over and stood beside him looking up into the sky.

"I'm writing down other constellations that surround the star chart, so that if I ever want to find it I can use constellations that are easy to find to help find it, like Hydrus." He explained simply. I slowly nodded attempting to confirm to myself that I actually understood this.

"What's Hyrus?" I said puzzled.

"It's over to the left of Leo Minor, which is part of the chart." He pointed into the sky at what seemed like nothing specific and looked up at me.

"I've heard of Leo!" I exclaimed, "It's one of the horoscopes!"

"_A what_?" He said curiously, "I've never heard of those."

"Well, muggles don't usually study horoscopes, but they are just kind of fun! I'm pretty sure the Chinese made them." I smiled trying to think of how to explain it, "You see there are 12 horoscopes. They're all based off of a constellation. They have their own element and personality and everything based on the date of your birth." He nodded reassuringly. "For example, when is your birthday?"

"Mine's in June, the 5th of June." He answered.

"Early June I think might be Gemini." I said looking up as if into my brain to check and make sure. "I don't know the element or personality but the symbol is Twins." I stared into the sky looking for the constellation and then pointed it out to him. "See right in between Auriga and Cancer. 2 figures holding hands, twins!"

His eyes followed the tip of my finger and he smiled brightly, "What's yours?"

"I'm a Virgo." I spoke with a hint of disappointment in my voice. There wasn't anything special about mine, part of what made it fun was knowing what animal you were like of the 12 but mine was just a human. I searched for it in the sky then pointed it out. "See it's just a girl." It was silent for a moment as we both stared into the lit night sky.

"Hermione," He glanced back at me, "is there anything you miss about your muggle town or whatever it's called?"

This was a little out of character; Draco had never asked me about having a muggle family or what it was like. He always seemed like he had no interest in non-magic folk, sometimes he frowned upon it which still bothered me a little.

"Well my family of course," I responded at first then thought a little deeper, "but also something I miss a lot from home that Hogwarts doesn't have much is music." Another silent moment passed.

"Yeah, I've never really listened to music that much." Draco agreed.

"Exactly!" I exclaimed, "And it's really quite wonderful. It gets you to stop thinking almost, and just listen."

"What kind of music did you listen to?" He questioned still smiling.

"Lots of 80's, of course you wouldn't know what that means though." I sighed, "Every breath you take, Don't you forget about me, Still rock and roll to me, Bohemian Rhapsody. Nothing you've probably heard of." I thought for a moment and then walked over to grab something out of my bag.

"I actually brought something to listen to music on this year." I said shyly, "It's called an MP3 player. You put this thing in your ear," I stuck the left ear bud in my ear and sat down next to him, "and then you can listen."

He copied me and put the right ear bud in, "I don't hear anything?" He said confused.

"That's because it's not on goof." I laughed. I pressed on the power button and went through my play list.

"What's that one?" He said pointing to a song by Tom Petty. I selected it and we listened.

_She's a good girl, Loves her Mama_

_Loves Jesus, and America too_

"What's Jesus?" Draco shouted.

"Shhh!" I tittered.

_She's a good girl, crazy 'bout Elvis_

_Loves horses and her boyfriend too._

We listened to the whole song speechlessly then Draco picked another and another. I caught glimpses of Draco, an unclear expression on his face. After a couple of minutes we had listened to Landslide, Go your own way and a couple others.

"Well that's a lot better than Celestina Warbeck!" He said impressed. "I got to get me one of these!"

"I told you, music is just so wonderful!" I smiled at him.

"It's outstanding!" He shouted again, "And when you turn the music up so it's as loud as ever it almost feels like, like you're blocking out the world." He looked down shyly biting his lip.

"It's crazy how something can make you feel like that isn't it." I spoke softly trying to get him to look up. "So my muggle toys aren't all that useless?" I teased.

"Guess not Granger." He smiled back at me.

"Hate to bring this up Malfoy," I mentioned cautiously, "but do you still have something against mudbloods?"

"Granger don't call yourself that!" He yelled at me and I couldn't help but be startled.

"Excuse me!" I howled, "But don't you remember calling me mudblood every time you saw me?"

"Well, yeah, but that was different!" He came back at me.

"How?" I snickered.

"You wouldn't get it!" He yelled.

"Try me!" I smiled at him sarcastically.

"Fine, mudblood is the only thing that would get your attention!" Draco rushed his words, "Okay."

"Well yeah it was offensive!" I said more calmly.

"I said you wouldn't understand." He mumbled.

"Then tell me what I'm missing." I spoke gently.

"I used to like you okay, whatever." He blushed and when I took notice he turned his face and looked through his telescope. "My father told me that muggle borns were mudbloods. I teased you but you still didn't pay attention so I called you that and it got your attention on me, happy?"

I started blushing too. Had he really liked me? And if he did he wasn't really good at the whole flirting thing. He was more like the super annoying little boy that pulls on your pigtails.

"Um, thanks for being honest," I stuttered, "If it makes you feel better I'm glad that you never actually thought I was a mudblood."

He signed and looked over too me again and smiled, "No problem. And don't worry I'll never call you it again, but we should probably get back to our dormitories, it's like 11."

I checked the time on the MP3 player, it read _11:10_ he was right, "Wait!" I grabbed his arm as he packed up his equipment, "It's almost 11:11!"

"Yeah it's a time?" He huffed puzzled. "So what?"

"In muggle land when it's 11:11 you make a wish." I said playfully, "Please."

He smiled and picked up his bag and stood beside me. We waited silently for what seemed like more than a minute. Then it flashed 11:11.

"Okay make a wish!" I whispered, "And don't tell me or it won't come true. Oh, and keep thinking about it until the minute is over!"

"Got it Granger." He chuckled.

I thought, squeezing my eyelids more aggressively the harder I thought. What should I wish for? I didn't really need anything. I was honestly perfectly happy. Maybe I could wish for someone else, I know! I forced the thought in my head for the remainder of the minute. _I wish I will figure out why Draco's name is written in The Room of Many Faites._

I took a peek and saw my MP3 read 11:13.

"Oops," I mumbled, "Okay now we can go." Draco lightly opened his eyes and stared at me with his sad silvery blue eyes.

"Meet you next Thursday right?" I confirmed breaking from his stare. We hugged and headed up to our dormitories.


	6. A Little Too Much She Had To Face

I tugged the brush through my thick matted hair, twisting my neck in awkward angles for what seemed like hours. Eventually I just gave up and pulled the uncooperative rug of hair into a messy ponytail which included 4 elastics that I was not too thrilled to later pull out in knots.

Today was the day. Today I would find out what the purpose of that room was. I craned my neck to check the time of the clock which sat beside my bed. _11:44 am_ beamed in a red laser like glow. I had just enough time so I could still go down for the midday meal.

I sprung to the door and soundlessly shut it then calmly walked back over to my bed. I got down on the icy cold floor and reached my arm in the gap between bed and ground retrieving a little velvet purple pouch.

I pushed myself off the floor and onto the springy made bed. I poked my finger inside the tiny bag pulling out a gold chain with an extremely useful charm that much resembled an hourglass. I had used my time turner almost every day in 3rd year but hadn't laid a finger on it this. Thank goodness I had thought of bringing it just in case.

I sat there for a couple minutes playing with the charm rubbing my shirt on it erasing the smudges. I took a deep breath and flipped the hourglass once. No going back now. I flipped it a second, then a third, fourth and then once more. 5 hours should do it. I looked over to the clock on my night stand which now magically read _8:56 am._ Everyone should be at in class by now.

I heard a clanking behind me and turned to see someone through the bathroom door creaking open. I felt butterflies start to flutter inside my stomach and my features stretched vertically with both fear and surprise.

I slid off my bed hitting the floor with a loud bang and glided over the smooth surface till I was directly under my bed.

"Hello?" Lavender squealed like the stupid girl in a horror movie.

"Shit." I mumbled to myself still breathing heavily. A few minutes later I was amused to hear her run out of the room screaming like the little girl she was.

As soon as I saw her feet disappear through the door I got out from under the bed and headed out myself. As I left the common room and slipped out of the portrait I found myself the only living being in sight.

I walked a couple flights of stairs and then found the familiar portrait we had climbed into just a couple weeks ago. I sprung up to the set that seemed to lean against the hoarded wall and swung the portrait open.

Just when I was getting up onto the railing I felt a shudder and the stairs quaked to life. They had rumbled away from the wall about 10 feet before I even had a chance to jump. How else was I supposed to get to the portrait?

_New plan_, I thought to myself. I looked around as if there would be an answer as simple as a ladder but only to find I was in the absolute very center of the room. There was only one thing I could think of and it was completely mad.

I ran to the bottom of the staircase which met the wall. I grabbed my wand from my jean pocket and touched it to the tip to the palm of my right hand which felt extremely backwards.

"Lenusict." I whispered clearly and I watched as my palm started to melt into a sticky goop of wax like substance. I did the same to my left hand and stuck my wand back in my pocket.

I took a deep breath and quickly scrambled back onto the railing and climbing onto the outer edge of the stairs. _On 3_, I thought to myself gripping the railing tightly. 1, 2, 3!

I released my hands from the railing and smacked them on the bare wall. I felt the butterflies come back as I lifted my trembling feet to the bottom of a snoozing portrait. Gradually I shifted down the wall, my gooey hands sticking to the brick like super glue. After the long terrifying climb I reached the hole in the wall and stepped in swinging the door close with relief.

I walked into the familiar room my heart racing just like the last time. The room was still as wonderfully bright and beautiful as the first time the only thing difference was this time I was alone.

I leaned on the pearl colored marble railing and looked down into the sand. Where would I start? Maybe if I got down there I could find out more significant details. All I really knew was the name and that it had something to do with Draco. That wasn't much of a start.

_Yes_, I agreed with myself, going down there would be a good start. I stood on the railing and sprung into the air catching the thick wooden vine that curved into the swinging pendulum. I wrapped my arms and legs around the vine and crawled to the center. Next I slapped my still sticky hands to the pendulum and leaped onto it.

As I climbed down I passed something peculiar. I stopped in my tracks. Engraved in the pendulum was some sort of riddle or message. It read;

_**Place your hand upon the name**_

_**Of which you wish to find**_

_**Then step upon the light and see**_

_**Many fates but one true destiny**_

_**Out of all the sites you face**_

_**One is real the others fake**_

_**You will not know which one is true**_

_**The decision will be up to you**_

_**Although you should keep in mind**_

_**Who can change this fate of game**_

_**One per name can change the fait**_

_**If they change the person's life**_

_**But if not their destiny**_

_**Will continue on and will not wait**_

_**Be careful though you should beware**_

_**You could lose your mind of state**_

What the bloody hell? It barely made any sense. I read it over a couple more time but all I got out of it was that I needed to put my hand on Draco's name to see what might happen to him? The confusing part for me is that it says there are somehow "false fates"? How does that work? I guess I would soon find out.

I sprawled down and hit the sand with a thud, sending a puff of dust surrounding my ankles.

"Lentum." I whispered poking my hands and they quickly shaped back into palms.

I slowly walked towards his name, watching my footsteps light up then vanish behind me as if the sand hadn't been disturbed.

I looked back in front of me and I was standing right beside his name. I felt the butterflies migrate back into my stomach, fluttering their wings against the walls of my inside, leaving an unpleasant ticklish feeling.

I knelt down and readied my trembling hand wondering what might come next. I jolted my hand down, rubbing out any trace that his name had been there, for who knows how long.

Nearly milliseconds after light seeped through my hand, escaping in any direction it could find. I felt a sudden quake and the ground disappeared from where my hand had been, causing me to almost fall in a deep well of blinding light that seemed to go on forever.

What did the riddle say? _Place your hand upon the name of which you wish to find, then step upon the light and see many fates but 1 true destiny_. Okay so I have to jump into this hole? Draco you better frickin' worship me after this! I readied myself even though there was no possible way I could jump into a hole wrong.

1, 2, 3! I leaped into the small hole, feeling the light absorb my body. The sensation was indescribable, as if I was almost evaporating into the brightness. It seemed to last forever, just floating. Then all of a sudden I felt a weird tingling in my left hand.

I raised it and watched as my fingers, then hand followed by my arm turned to sand and dissolved into the light. I felt the tingling slowly reach up my legs and up until eventually I witnessed my whole body of sand float away into nothingness.

And then _thud,_ I hit something hard. I was in the prefect's bathroom, in the middle of the room, facing the mirrors. I couldn't really move since I had no body, so I was just there. It was somewhat like watching TV, the feeling where you can't blink or move because you're just so focused.

I waited patiently and then heard a door slam behind me. He walked passed me and over to one of the sinks. He looked so much older, more mature yet still the same person I knew. He ran his fingered through his messy bleach hair and grasped the sink intensely. What was wrong?

The next scene was oppressive. His face crunched up into someone else's someone I hadn't seen before, turning red, and then, Draco burst into tears. And just when I thought things couldn't get any worse I heard another slam of the door. Draco looked up into the mirror and I saw a glimpse of what looked like another familiar face.

Harry ran up beside me, "I know what you did Malfoy," Harry sneered in an eerie way I had never seen before; "You hexed her didn't you!" What was going on? Who was Harry talking about? But before I had any more time to think Draco threw a silent hex at Harry who threw himself at the wall dodging it then threw one back.

Draco dashed to the stalls, Harry running after him. My view moved following them. Just when I turned Draco threw another hex at Harry, which was a little too close this time. Draco ran further into the bathroom which had already started to seem like a twisted maze of mirrors and sprinkling water.

The view followed behind Harry, running after Draco. This went on, each shot closer and closer until they found their way back to where they started off. I wanted to scream but no words could escape the lips that weren't there.

Harry aimed, "Sectum-"

"Avada Kedavra!"

Harry stood paralysed then fell over splashing water as he hit the glassy floor.

Draco looked even more mortified than I. He raised his hands, rubbing his head and then pulled his hair. Just then Moaning Myrtle came floating out of one of the cubicles.

"What did you do Draco?" She gasped, "You didn't need to kill him!"

"I know Myrtle shut up!" He cried, swiping at the air. She let out a huff of annoyance and splashed back into her toilet.

The door slammed again, "Draco!" It was Snape. He saw Harry lying still on the floor and to my surprise his face filled with devastation. "Draco did you kill him!"

"I didn't mean…You don't under…It's not what it seems!"

And with that the scene instantly erupted into sand and it formed the scene merely seconds before Harry had rushed in. Draco stood there again crying at the sink. He looked up at his reflection taking broken up breaths. The door slammed, but instead of witnessing Harry burst in another extremely familiar voice spoke.

"Draco, you idiot!" She sent hex after hex, Draco blocking them one after the other, "I hate you!" To my astonishment these words came from my lips.

I sent more jinxes no time between each. Then Draco sent one back nearly hitting me in the shoulder. I paused staring where the curse hit then glared back at him.

I raised my wand and cried, "Sectumsempra!" The next thing I saw was an invisible claw slash at Draco's body, blood spilling everywhere as he hit the floor and I ran out. Sand surrounded me and I pondered my mind at what would come next?

The sand formed an unfamiliar long room this time like a dining room that had been cleared of everything. I viewed from one end, facing the whole room. Lastly the sand formed multiple people standing in the room.

Draco stood beside his mother and father, a beaten Harry sitting awkwardly next to a gruesome looking lady holding him by the hair.

"Draco!" She hissed at him and he walked towards Harry, "We have to make sure…" She snickered, the rest too quiet to hear. He kneeled down looking at Harry for quite a while until he stood right up lightly shaking his head.

As soon as he did so the scary woman turned on her heel, arms crossed, looking straight through me. She pulled back astonished at something, "Where'd you get that?"

"We found it in her bag." Said one of the grubby men. She snatched her wand from her dress and threw hex after hex around the room at random, hitting several wizards, including the one who had spoken.

"Put the boy's in the cellar!" She cackled and marched straight through me and pulled someone back. That someone was me. Clutching the chest of my jacket she pressed her forehead to mine and tittered, "I'm going to have a little chat with this one…Girl to girl!"

Draco's mother pulled Harry and Ron down a flight of stairs while the insane one brought me to the center of the room and threw me down on the ground leaning over top of me hissing in my ear as I cried.

"WHAT DID YOU TAKE FROM MY VAULT?"

I had no choice but to watch myself lie there shaking my head weakly. The wicked lady pulled a knife from her pocket, got down on all 4s and starting shakily slicing something into my lower arm. The view pulled into the scene.

I screamed over and over vigorously trying to escape her grasp but eventually grew tired. The witch revealed what she had written on my arm, _mudblood._ She moved on to my face.

She traced my lips gently with the tip of her knife, next made a slit in each cheek. She was interrupted by a goblin. "You wished to speak to me Miss Lestrange?"

"Why yes." She smiled. She got up off the floor held the knife up in the tips of her fingers and threw it at my middle like a dart. With a little shrill and gasp my breathing slowed and all at once stopped. Sand over took the scene.

This scene was very peculiar. It seemed like a night lit Hogwarts, but instead of the beautiful castle, in its place stood a torn up brick building. The sand formed living beings everywhere! Trolls, wizards, werewolves, centaurs! Everyone seemed to be dueling another and if not lying down dead.

I watched everyone fight as the view zoomed through everyone and into the castle. It made turns here and there as if not knowing where it wanted to go. Finally it reached through the other side of the castle and headed into the viaduct.

The next thing I saw was Ron throwing jinx upon jinx and what looked like no one until Draco came running up. Draco blocked each jinx with little to no effort sadly, making Ron even more furious! Ron became so furious he barely gave a thought to where he was throwing them; he just sent one after the other.

Draco raised his eyebrows at him smirking, "Pitiful." Draco then threw a curse at Ron hitting him right in the shoulder and Ron fell down dead. Sand.

Trees filled the dark cold forest, a wide clearing sat in front of a herd of wizards in witches dressed in black. They all stood, waiting behind a man who gave of a sensation of power and authority. He was beyond pale, grey milky skin covered his skeleton. His face resembled some sort of reptile; he had hard, thin, red eyes with linear pupils, and 2 slits for a nose that flared as he breathed. He also ironically had a snake slithering around his legs as if worshiping him.

"Draco." He spoke calmly as Malfoy made his way through the crowd, "You will do it."

Malfoy bit his lip the way I had seen many times when he was not full of his usual confidence. He walked forward beside the man and rose his head high attempting to mask his under confidence which was still transparent.

As soon as he did Harry made his way through the brush into the edge of the clearing. He marched with real confidence to the center of the clearing a glare in his eyes which stared directly into the man's snake eyes.

Draco raised his wand and mumbled shakily, "Avada Kedavra." Sand.

I didn't want to see any more. I want it all to go away. I want to go back and to never see this room again. But that didn't happen. The sand formed the torn up Hogwarts but this time it was dawn.

No one was fighting. All the students and teachers stood beaten up in front of the school, including Malfoy as the group of dark clothed wizards walked up. Malfoy's parents were in front next to the snake man and…Hagrid?

Hagrid was in chains, dirty tears covered his face as he cradled Harry in his arms like a baby.

"Harry Potter is dead!" The snake man shouted clearly for everyone to hear, "Harry Potter is dead!"

Ginny ran up wand at the ready, screaming in pain, "No! No!" Tears flowed down her face as her brother pulled her back in his arms with me.

"Stupid girl." Snake man insulted, "He's dead! And from this day forward, you will put your faith in me." He did not smile creepily like the terrifying woman but instructed seriously.

He turned back to face his followers, "Harry Potter is dead!" He chanted as they all cackled out in victory, he smiled coolly with them, "And now is the time to declare yourselves. Come forward and join us! Or die…" His face turned directly to where Malfoy stood amongst his friends.

"Draco!" His Mother and Father hissed repeatedly, "Draco, come." He swallowed a lump of fear in his throat and obediently walked forward towards snake man.

"Ah. Well done Draco!" Snake man exclaimed proudly, embracing him in a long hug.

The view changed a little too quickly and I saw Draco's face as the snake man squeezed him. I noticed just for a second a long glistening tear roll down his cheek. This didn't look like a normal tear; it looked almost like a silvery strand of neither liquid nor gas. This wasn't a tear, it was a thought, more than a thought, it was a memory. The view followed as it slowly floated to the ground and lay their innocently. Sand.

I readied myself to see something worse but found the sand rush to me. I felt a relieving tingling sensation as the sand slowly formed into my body. I looked up at a tiny bright star which grew to be a speck, which shaped into a figure and finished as a hole.

The next thing I knew I was sitting next to his name. My hand still placed firmly on it. I lifted it instantly afraid I would have to relive it again. I brought my arms to my stomach and leaned forward bursting into tears. I felt terrified and confused and a hundred other things. But most of all I felt in pain.

It was all too much.

Too much all at once.

But the worst part was.

I had no one to tell.


	7. A Tension Now Created

I dragged myself down the empty hall, leaning against the stone wall as I walked, text books clasped to my chest. It had been a month since I last went into the room and I hadn't seen Draco since before that, so this time I wasn't all that excited to see him.

I made my way sluggishly down the steps leading to the boathouse. As I came to the bottom I faced an enthusiastic Draco who looked as if he might start bouncing off the walls any second.

"Hey Granger!" He walked closer, wrapping his arms around me in a warm, uncomfortable embrace, "It's nice to see you again." I forced a somewhat convincing smile and pulled back slightly.

I looked down at my feet, not wanting to meet his eyes quite yet. He lifted my chin with his warm boney finger but I still fought to keep looking at the ground.

"Hermione, are you all right?" He spoke emphatically; I gave in and looked up into his lightless bright eyes, "You look sickly."

"Umm...yeah...I haven't been sleeping well lately." I half lied through gritted teeth, looking down again, "That's all." I really haven't been getting any sleep at all but that probably wasn't why I looked so grubby.

He peered at me for a moment or 2, "Err…Okay then…" He said unconvinced, "Let's sit down then." He grabbed my numb hand and leaded me to the wall where we always sat.

"Got any homework?" He grinned writing speedily on a half-filled piece of parchment. I just shook my head looking around the room, avoiding his gaze. He sighed heavily, "Then what would you like to do?" I shrugged accidently looking his way.

"Hermione what wrong?" He spoke worriedly.

"Nothing." I muttered.

"Don't lie to me Hermione!" He shouted this time pouncing up off the ground looking down at me. "Obviously something up because you've been avoiding me ever since last month! I pass you in the halls and you don't even glance my way, or smile, or ever show any sign of recognition! What the bloody hell did I do? Just tell me, I'm sorry!"

He ran his fingers through his hair like he usually did when he was frustrated, like when he stood at the sink in the Prefects bathroom, like when he killed harry, like when I killed him. But that wasn't real, I can't be mad at him for something he hasn't done can I?

I had to think quickly, what else has been going on this year? What's an easy excuse for being in a miserable mood? Well obviously there's the Tri-Wizard tournament, that'll be good enough.

"It's Harry." I lied twiddling my thumbs, looking down into my lap.

"What about Harry?" Malfoy snorted.

"Well no one has any idea what the third challenge is Draco!" I gasped, "He could die for all anyone knows!" I told myself this was what had been bothering me until I myself believed it. That was the only way I could be convincing enough.

"Granger, Dumbledore obviously isn't going to let anything happen to Potter!" Draco retorted.

"Well I suppose…" I mumbled trying to get off the subject. He stood there silently for a minute or so until he spoke again.

"I was hoping you would be in a good mood actually. Well I always am, not that you ever aren't, but today especially." He huffed, "I have to tell you something very important. You cannot tell anyone, especially Potter and Weasley!"

"What?" I said.

He walked over to the opening of the boathouse and leaned against the frame, watching the moon dip into the calm black lake. "It's about my father." His hand started trembling at his side. "He sent me a letter. It said that he would be coming to the school for the 3rd and final task."

"What's so important about that?" I grouched.

"Well the reason why he's coming to Hogwarts." Draco said firmly, "Hermione, he's not coming to see me, he's coming because he is being summoned. He says his Dark Mark is coming back, Voldemort is summoning him."

My mouth hung open, "You mean…He-He'll be _in_ the la-last task?" I stuttered, "Harry will have to face all the Death Eaters _and_ Voldemort!" This was impossible Voldemort was gone, finished, right?

He just nodded. "So wait…" I spoke with a little more aggressively, "If you knew Voldemort was going to be in the last task why did you just tell me Harry was going to be fine?"

"No, Granger you don't understand." He turned sharply to face me once again, "Harry's taken on Voldemort twice before, he'll be alright. But those times Voldemort almost returned, no one's Dark Mark came back. What I ment is, Hermione this time, he's coming back for good."

"So you mean…" A shiver went down my spine, followed by the short hairs rising up on my chilly arms, "There's going to be a 2nd Wizarding War?"

He took a large breath, "Yeah, that's exactly what's going to happen."

A long silence passed slowly, the longer it lasted the more tension filled the room. The thought of another Wizarding War, after all the stories and scars of the last, well the thought was far past disturbing.

"Are you going to tell Dumbledore?" I hesitated after, regretting the statement.

"I can't." He sighed, "I don't have a choice. My father could be put in Azkaban. And anyways what would Dumbledore do? He can't stop Voldemort, if he could he would've done it last time."

He had a good point. As amazing as Dumbledore was he had yet to even make a remote move on destroying Voldemort during the first Wizarding War. I all of a sudden didn't feel as drowsy as I did the past month in my torpid state. The last thing on my mind was the room. Voldemort was coming back and I wasn't a loud to tell anyone. I couldn't even imagine what it would be like to be involved in a war.

"Sorry to bring this up Hermione," Draco interrupted my notions, "I hope this doesn't come out rude, but…Have you found out anything about the room?" He was sitting down again, pressed up next to me, eyes fixed to mine. Just when I thought I could push the thought of that stupid room away it had to find its way back.

I most definitely couldn't tell him what I saw. I didn't even understand what the hell happened myself, how could I explain it? What did I know about the room right before I saw all of it?

"Well I found out the name?" I mentioned awkwardly, "But it`s not much help?"

"Really what is it?" His eyes filled with curiosity.

"Well...Err…It's called The Room of Many Fates." I stumbled with the words, which sounded somewhat silly coming from mouth since I had yet to say them out loud.

"Oh well…Is that a good start?" He tried to hide his disappointment but I could see right through it.

"No but…After that I found a riddle." I added not wanted to leave him with such a letdown, "It's written on the pendulum…Next time you go in climb onto it and you can see for yourself." This was as close as I could get to the truth without having to attempt to explain the pool of light muddle.

"Thanks Hermione." He said looking down into his lap then reached out to hug me, "You have no idea how much this means to me."

As he pulled away I smiled back glad that I got to see Draco again. I really did miss him the past month. It was just every time I saw him I thought of what he did in those odd situations, they totally blocked out the Draco I knew, they made me think he was a monster. I'm glad to know he was back and not the monster the room made him out to be.


	8. An Explanation

"_Ouch!" _ I squealed then pressed my finger to my lips and narrowed my eyebrows, "_Shh!_"

Bubo Bubo, Draco's owl, immediately stopped pecking at my hand in a harmful attempt to wake me up. The scruffy owl dropped a pearly white letter sealed with a black, wax imprinted **M**.

"Thanks Bubo." I smiled, scratching under his left wing, "Now shoo!" As soon as he took off I gently shut the window and turned to see if Ginny was still asleep. She lazily rolled over and I tiptoed from the desk I fell asleep reading at to my bed.

I'd been staying with the Weasley's at Number 12 Grimmauld Place since the 2nd week of July and over the summer I've been trying to hide the letters to and from Draco. So far we had just talked about what had happened at the 3rd challenge, bull the Ministry was saying, discussing how different Hogwarts would be this upcoming year and playing would you rather in the postscript.

I rolled over facing the wall, "Lumos!" I whispered and the tip of my wand ignited in a blue glow. I pulled the covers over my head and ripped open the letter smiling to myself.

_Dear Hermione,_

_How have you been? Hope you've been keeping busy studying. That's all I've been up to and who knows, if I keep it up maybe I'll have a shot at beating you in our OWLs this year. Just kidding… But seriously I haven't been doing much this break. Your letters are the main highlight of my summer but at least I have something to keep me smiling._

_My father's been going to the ministry much more often than usual, but he won't tell me why. He says it is none of my business. It's really boring here, nothing much to do. Hope you have got some new songs on that muggle gadget of yours. I secretly can't wait to get back to school. Lessons are more enjoyable than sitting around doing nothing. The other day I was so desperate for something to do I tried writing a poem. Yah…it was bad._

_I haven't mentioned this in my previous letters because it hadn't come up. But the day before the 3__rd__ challenge I went back to the room. I climbed down the pendulum, like you said, but there wasn't anything written on it... Just thought you should know._

_Hope the rest of your summer is much more eventful than mine!_

_ Yours Truly_

_ Draco._

_P.S. Looney, would you rather have Hagrid or Flitwick as our DADA professor?_

Hmm…Probably Flitwick, I thought to myself biting my lip. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to Hagrid. I read over the 3rd paragraph. Well that's strange… Why would I be able to read the engraving but Draco, the one who's name is written in the room can't? Maybe everyone except him can read the engraving? If only I was allowed to show someone else the room I could see if that was the reason.

I headed over to the desk, tucking my wand under my shirt to keep from waking Ginny. Once I sat down at the desk I set my glowing wand on the windowsill and took out a blank piece of parchment. I grabbed the slick grey quill which already sat in ink.

_Dear Draco,_

_I'm doing just fine, nothing much is going on here either. Yes, I've been keeping up with my studies so don't get your hopes up, just joking! I'm actually quite nervous for OWLs myself; I mean we're coming close to finishing school, only 3 more years. It's quite scary when you think of it._

_No offense but your father's probably sucking up to the minister for his own mischievous reasons. I wonder who you get that from? Just kidding. Anyways I actually downloaded a whole bunch of songs the 1__st__ week of summer holiday. I think you'll really like them. Write me the poem you attempted._

_I will try and figure out more about the room as soon as we get back to school Draco. Sorry, I don't have an explanation for why that happened. Magic I guess._

_Hope you find something to do this summer._

_ Sincerely_

_ Hermione_

_P.S. Flitwick, would you rather see Pansy go out with Harry or Ron?_

I pulled open the top drawer of the desk and took out an envelope. I slipped the letter in and sealed it. I scribbled the address on the back and tucked it under the stack of blank parchment in the bottom drawer. I'd get Errol to deliver it later, but for now I just needed to get some shut eye.

I tip toed back to my bed against, snatching my iPod from the nightstand between our beds. I slipped under the cold sheets and shoved the buds in my ears. I tapped at the buttons until I got to my playlists and selected the one titled _Disney_.

_Thomas O'Malley_

_Happy Unbirthday Song_

_Circle of Life_

_Hakuna Matata_

_Colors of the Wind_

Oh, Higitus Figitus! I pressed play and snuggled up singing to Karl Swenson pretend he was the most powerful sorcerer in the world by making up pointless words. _Higitus Figitus, Migitus mom, Pres-ti-dig-i-ton-i-u! _What nonsense muggles make up about us wizards! But I still find the song rather amusing and very catchy.

I listened to Part of You World and a few others. _I'm in the mood to help you dude, you ain't never had a friend like me!_ This song immediately brought Draco to mind. _You have no idea how much this means to me, _he had said. Well what a friend I was. What was I going to do? Just push it aside as if it didn't exist…I couldn't do that to him! I'd have to face it sometime soon. Hell, I can't seem to fall asleep why not now.

I silently got up once again and crept towards the desk. Once I sat down I opened the bottom drawer and took a blank slip of parchment. I gently grasped the quill and unnecessarily dipped it in ink several times. I took a deep breath and aggressively scribbled down everything I knew about this room. _Room of many fates, Draco…_ What else? I tried to recollect everything I remembered from the riddle. Maybe that could help.

It started out with somewhat instructions, telling me to place my hand on his name, then to jump into the pool of light. What was after that? Oh, _1 is real the others fake…you will not know which one is right? The decision will be up to you. _I looked up from the slowly darkening parchment. What did it say next? Umm…_One per name could change this fate…If they change that person's life! _That was it! Now I just had the ending…

I thought for a long while, bitting my lip so hard a drop of blood trickled down my chin. I wiped it off and continued to think…Something about losing your mind…No…Oh! _But if not their destiny will continue on and will not wait. _Perfect I had most of the important highlights of the riddle. I read over it a couple times. I was still missing something. I knew 1 was real and the others fake but I didn't know what thing was real. What could it be referring too?

I skimmed through all the info I had from the limericks to Draco's name to the name of the room. That was it. The Room of Many Fates! 1 is real the others fake it's talking about fates. I recall this was the part that somewhat puzzled me after reading the riddle, false fates. _Many fates but 1 true destiny_. So now my riddle info read; _Many fates but 1 true destiny. 1 is real the others fake…you will not know which one is right? The decision will be up to you. One per name can change this fate…If they change that person's life! But if not their destiny will continue on and will not wait._

I got it now! How could I have been so stupid! Those _scenes_ I saw in the room those were the fates! But only 1 of them is real, only 1 will actually happen! That's why I could see the riddle and Draco couldn't! I'm the person who can change his fate! That's why I have to decide which 1 I think is real…But which 1 do I think is real? If I pick that 1 will that be the one to happen? Or is it just a random estimate? None of them are pleasant so it's not like I want any of them to happen but I guess that's not the point. I have to pick which 1 I think will happen.

My brain all of a sudden went into hyper speed. Every thought zoomed in and out so fast I had no time to linger on any idea. I flipped over the parchment and wrote down _Draco kills Harry in boy's toilets_. It was an odd sentence but I had to write down all the fates so I could make a knowing decision. Next fate, _I stun Draco_. I guess I didn't really stun him but I don't know what other way to put it…

What were the others? Oh yah, my favorite…_Crazy lady kills me._ After that, _Draco kills Ron, Draco kills Harry in forest._ What was the last 1? I sighed then wrote down, _Draco hugs snake man._ That was another mystery, who was this snake man. He seemed to be very powerful but also very dark. Everyone was taking orders from him in the forest. Who could be that looked up to. He was like a dark…no. Could this snake man be, You-Know-Who? It only makes sense, he just returned…he's going to gain power, that's why the Death Eater's mark is coming back. He's going to start another war.

But then why was Draco…No…


End file.
